St. Clair County, Missouri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Clair County
U.S. county
St. Clair County courthouse in Osceola
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	January 29, 1841
Named for	Arthur St. Clair
Seat	Osceola
Largest city	Appleton City
Area
• Total	702 sq mi (1,820 km2)
• Land	670 sq mi (1,700 km2)
• Water	32 sq mi (80 km2)  4.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,284
• Estimate  (2024)	9,848
• Density	14.7/sq mi (5.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th

St. Clair County is a county located in the western part of Missouri, a state in the United States. As of the 2020 census, about 9,284 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Osceola. The biggest city in the county is Appleton City.

St. Clair County was created in 1841. It was named after General Arthur St. Clair. He was an important leader and governor of the Northwest Territory a long time ago. He also served as the 9th president of the United States in Congress Assembled. During his time, important laws like the Northwest Ordinance and the United States Constitution were passed.

Exploring St. Clair County's Geography

St. Clair County covers a total area of about 702 square miles. Most of this area, about 670 square miles, is land. The remaining 32 square miles, which is about 4.6% of the county, is covered by water.

Neighboring Counties

St. Clair County shares its borders with several other counties:

• Henry County (to the north)
• Benton County (to the northeast)
• Hickory County (to the east)
• Polk County (to the southeast)
• Cedar County (to the south)
• Vernon County (to the southwest)
• Bates County (to the northwest)

Main Roads and Travel

Several important highways run through St. Clair County, making it easy to travel around:

• U.S. Route 54
• Route 13
• Route 52
• Route 82

For public transportation, Jefferson Lines also serves the area.

Who Lives in St. Clair County?

The population of St. Clair County has changed over many years.

In 2020, the county had a population of 9,284 people. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be around 9,848 people in 2024. This shows how the number of people living in the county has grown and changed over time.

Learning and Libraries in St. Clair County

St. Clair County has several schools and libraries for its young people and residents.

Public Schools in the County

• Appleton City R-II School District – Appleton City
  • Appleton City Elementary School (Kindergarten–5th grade)
  • Appleton City High School (6th–12th grade)
• Hudson R-IX School District – Appleton City
  • Hudson Elementary School (Preschool–8th grade)
• Osceola Public Schools – Osceola
  • Osceola Elementary School (Preschool–6th grade)
  • Osceola High School (7th–12th grade)
• Roscoe C-1 School District – Roscoe
  • Roscoe Elementary School (Preschool–8th grade)
• Lakeland R-III School District – Lowry City & Deepwater
  • Lakeland Elementary School

Public Libraries for Everyone

• Appleton City Public Library
• St. Clair County Library-Main Library (Osceola)
• St. Clair County Library-Lowry City Branch

Cities, Villages, and Towns in St. Clair County

St. Clair County is home to several communities, from larger cities to smaller villages and unincorporated areas.

Cities to Explore

• Appleton City
• Lowry City
• Osceola (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are located.)

Charming Villages

• Collins
• Gerster
• Roscoe
• Vista

Other Communities in the County

County Townships

St. Clair County is divided into 16 smaller areas called townships:

See also

In Spanish: Condado de St. Clair (Misuri) para niños